Shocks Host Rhode Island in 4 Game Series

[1972Shocker]

The Shocks have 4 games this weekend at the Eck against a 2-8 Rhode Island team. Rhode Island's 2 wins are over Rice (2-1) and Mizzou (8-6). Losses are to Rice (6-7 and 3-15), Mizzou (4-12 and 0-7) and to Texas-Rio Grande Valley (1-8, 3-15, 5-9, and 6-7).

No reason the Shocks can't sweep these 4 games and anything less than a 3-1 weekend would be a disappointment. Both teams may have to stretch their pitching staffs to their limits this weekend. A couple of quality starts to open the series would be very helpful. Out of 15 games the Shocks have had 4 quality starts this season (per HCTB).

Weather looks pretty good this weekend.

https://goshockers.com/news/2019/3/1...me-series.aspx

Shane asked HCTB about the health of Brady Slavens in the pre-game show but really didn't get an answer. However, Brady is listed as the DH in the starting lineup.

Preston Snavely starting on the mound for the Shocks.

[DUShock]

I’ll be there tomorrow and Sunday, it looks to be a good weekend for early spring ball.

Go Shox!

[UCONN_Husky]

URI is generally one of the better baseball teams in New England. They're probably better than their early season, road record indicates.

[1972Shocker]

Shocks take advantage of 2 dropped pop ups by the URI 3rd baseman in the bottom of the 5th to score 4 to take the lead at 4-2.

[SB Shock]

Wsu pitchers 11 walks.

[UCONN_Husky]

Walk off walk.

[SB Shock]

Lol, Rhode Island sucks worse than WSU.

[1972Shocker]

Wild game. Shocks scored in the bottom 6th to stretch their lead to 5-2. URI 2 in the 7th and the 3 in the 9th to take a 7-5 lead.

A 2-run home run from Paxton Wallace in the bottom of the 9th tied the game at 7. The Shocks then loaded the bases with 2 outs. Jordan Boyer, after falling behind 1-2, worked a walk to force in the winning run.

[NCAABound]

Wsu pitchers 11 walks.

I mean seriously...my son's 12 year old team doesnt walk as many...or strike out as much.

[1972Shocker]

11 walks and a hit batter is way to many free passes. 5 of the 7 URI runs reached base on a walk or hit batter. A 6th run scored on a bases loaded walk. They were able to overcome that against URI but that will cost them against better competition.

However, 5 strikeouts in 42 at bats is not bad and was not a problem in this game IMHO.

[1972Shocker]

Looks like Tommy Barnhouse is on the mound for the Shocks in Game 2 of the URI series.

Tommy gets through the top of the 1st unscathed. He got two ground outs on 4 pitches, then gave up a double into the RF corner, but got a called 3rd strike on a full count to end the inning. No walks is good. No reason to walk this URI team. They are hitting .240 with very little power (0.284 slugging percentage).

Just as they did in the 5th inning of Game 1 yesterday the Shocks take advantage of poor Rhode Island defense to plate 4 runs. Today the Shocks had the bases loaded with 1 out. David VanVooren flied out to shallow right field and Mason O'Brien, not exactly a speedster, broke for home but ended up being caught in a run down. The URI catcher made a lunging glove tag on Mason near 3rd base. Unfortunately, for URI their catcher was holding the ball in his bare hand. As the URI catching went sprawling and sliding past Mason on the turf Mason chugged in to score. So again URI should have been out of the inning. With the dangerous top of the Shocker order up Jordan Boyer singled in a run, Hunter Gibson singled in a run and Luke Ritter double in a run to make it 4-0. Paxton Wallace made the final out but threatened the wall in left and the URI left fielder made a nice running catch.

Not quite sure how to describe the top of the 4th. Death by a thousand cuts I guess, mostly self-inflicted. A bloop single down the left field line, a walk and another bloop single down the line in left loaded the bases for URI with no outs. Jordan Boyer booted a potential double play ball allowing a run to score and keeping the bases loaded still with no outs. The Shocks did turn a 6-4-3 double play on a sharply hit ball right at Jordan with the innings 2nd run scoring. Back-to-back walks reloaded the bases with 2 outs and that was it for Barnhouse. Connery Peters came on in relief and promptly walked in the 3rd run of the inning and then gave up a ground ball single to right on an 0-2 count to score 2 more runs and the Shocker 4 run lead had turned into a 1-run deficit with URI taking a 5-4 lead. Barnhouse walked 6 and hit a batter in 3.2 innings and Peters added the walk to his first batter in relief. 8 free passes in 4 innings.

Peters walks the first 2 batters he faces in the top of the 5th and Peters is done. Adam Stephenson on in relief. A poorly placed bunt back to Adam allowed the Shocks to get a force at 3rd and then a line drive snagged by Jordan Boyer at short was turned in to a double play catching the runner at 2nd who was on the move.

In the top of the 6th URI lead off with a bunt single. After a fly ball to shallow right center for the 1st out the wheels came off for Stephenson. A wild pitch, a single to right, a double to right a triple down the line in right and a single to center scored 4 runs for URI and ended Stephenson's day. Miller Pliemann on to try to stem the tide. Miller gives up a single up the middle and a walk to load the bases with 1 out. A single to left scores 2 more runs and puts runners at 1st and 3rd as Jack Sigrist did not field the ball cleanly in left. A fielder's choice scores the 7th run of the inning. A routine fly ball to medium depth center was lost in the sun by David VanVooren resulting in a double with the runner from first scoring the 8th run of the inning. Finally, Luke Ritter makes a nice backhand fielding play on a grounder up the middle to end the suffering. URI 13 - Shockers 4 heading to the bottom of the 6th.

A lead off triple off the right fielder's glove by Noah Croft leads to a Shocker run in the bottom of the 6th to make it 13-5.

Paxton Wallace with a solo home run in the 7th to make it 6-13. URI relief pitching not overly impressive.

Shocks pick up 2 more in the 8th to make it 8-13.

Final: URI 13 - WSU 8

[WSUwatcher]

Early in the season and a smallish sample size, but so far it doesn't look as though the move to Mike Pelfrey as pitching coach has paid many dividends, which is not entirely surprising -- good performers don 't always make good coaches.

As I recall, Ancient Augie Garrido almost had his Texas career short-circuited by the attempt early on to install former Longhorn Burt Hooton as his pitching coach after Cliff Gustafson was forced out and someone thought a little UT continuity might be helpful. Turned out it wasn't, and Garrido's first few seasons weren't quite Butleresque, but they weren't much better and not what Texas's highly entitled baseball fanbase was expecting.

Let's hope that whatever message Pelfrey is trying to convey about putting the ball in the strike zone, especially against mediocre hitters like those from Rhode Island, starts to take hold. And maybe Tommy Barnhouse could use some time out of the rotation to give himself straightened out?

[WSUwatcher]

Wow -- just looked at the embarrassing play-by-play (good thing I stayed home to focus on hoops). Apparently the message needs to be (a) throw strikes, but (b) not just batting practice strikes -- maybe strikes that could actually get someone out?

[SB Shock]

6 innings, 12 hits, 10 walks, 2 K, 1 HBP, 13 runs, 8 earned runs -- WSU pitching line

[ShockTalk]

Wow -- just looked at the embarrassing play-by-play (good thing I stayed home to focus on hoops). Apparently the message needs to be (a) throw strikes, but (b) not just batting practice strikes -- maybe strikes that could actually get someone out?

I still say there is a lot of Keystone Cops in these ballgames.

[ShockerFever]

Extend Butler. This is great ball to watch.